


Clemency

by deathwailart



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Canonical Character Death, F/M, Post-Canon, The Chantry, ruling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-16
Updated: 2014-07-16
Packaged: 2018-02-09 04:25:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1969002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deathwailart/pseuds/deathwailart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ríoghnach Hawke and the aftermath of the Chantry's destruction.</p>
<p>Written for the 30 day drabble challenge: clemency</p>
            </blockquote>





	Clemency

When the Templars bend their knee to her she grants them a reprieve. Cullen is installed in the interim as their leader, firm in his duties but without Meredith's fanaticism and with him in place they all fall in line. They repeat their vows in the courtyard as Kirkwall gathers by the remnants of the Gallows, piles and piles of corpses being burnt. The few who do speak out, the traitors, they are made examples of.  
  
The ashes are scattered into the sea, Bethany's too.  
  
She's installed as Viscountess of Kirkwall before a week has passed to whatever celebration Kirkwall can muster with the Chantry still smoking and Meredith's petrified remains still hot to the touch. Aveline is gone so she'll have to replace her with someone else, someone who understands the reality of the situation in Kirkwall, who doesn't need to have someone else hold her hand. Sometimes Ríoghnach can't believe Aveline was a soldier like her and Carver and when she's feeling particularly uncharitable, blames it on her being the daughter of a chevalier. Isabela is gone too although it amazed her enough that the pirate stayed around for as long as she did after that whole Qunari mess and the sole reason she was given a chance back then is because Ríoghnach understands not wasting an opportunity. She never forgave her though. All that death and destruction because she was a thieving pirate. Still, it's given Ríoghnach a title and then another, a status, a reputation. It's why she's never needed Varric, despite what he thinks and it's why they never got along. She has no time for someone else trying to dictate her life, she had enough of that with her damn father and having to hide her sister all those years. So she burns every copy of his ridiculous novels she can get her hands on too. She has no idea where Merrill ended up and if she could spare the resources she'd send a force after her but she's a blood mage, Ríoghnach can guess how she'll end up.  
  
Fenris remains. Fenris at her side, the two of them as close as they have always been, firm friends, someone who understands what must be done, who knows all too well what happens to free mages.  
  
They cannot have another Anders.  
  
They are tough and uncompromising. She will lead by example, not like Dumar. She and Fenris patrol as they always did but this time they lead the Templars and the guard recruits and every single apostate and would-be maleficar dies at their hands, their families and friends or whoever else hides them earning themselves a suitable punishment. She sees that the Chantry is to be rebuilt first but opens the Viscount's Keep for prayers, welcomes all who will come, finds sisters and mothers whose faith burns bright as the Chantry did that night and her own voice rises above the rest as she prays.  
  
Sebastian will be here soon, Starkhaven rallied to bring extra forces and it will be as he said - she will have to leave for the coronation but he stayed to see her title given to her, richly deserved he had purred when he stole her from the crowds for a moment, and there is the wedding to be seen to as well.  
  
Prince of Starkhaven, a holy brother and the Viscountess of Kirkwall, Champion and defender of all that is good and right. A marriage to unite the Free Marches as the war threatens to ignite all of Thedas, a war in which she intends to give no quarter.


End file.
